


You and Me and All of The People

by hellodarling



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Prom, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-18
Updated: 2013-05-18
Packaged: 2017-12-12 05:03:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/807578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellodarling/pseuds/hellodarling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s funny and cruel how high school works, with the cliques and class, the peer pressure, the blurred out silver lining of what’s right and wrong, where social acceptance is the reason why most of them survive high school. It’s not right, but it’s always there. And there they are, at the very top of the social ladder. Louis with his sharp lines, quick wit, and undeniable talent on the field as the football captain; Harry with his mop of curls, charming ways, and indisputable skills on the court as the basketball captain, they were both kings of their high school and slaves of their own demons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You and Me and All of The People

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my Tumblr Boboyaboo.tumblr.com
> 
> About: filling a prompt but I changed it a tiny bit (okay a whole lot) to suit how I wanted the story to flow. Hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> Original prompt: Louis is the football captian at school and Harry is the badminton captain. They’re basically the two most “popular” boys in the school, everyone wants them, etc etc, cliche cliche.  
> But yeah, they’ve been secretly dating for months and when prom rolls around they both agree to go with other people, because Louis is almost finished with school and once he’s gone they’ll be out of the judging eyes of their peers forever and being open and out will be easier. They’re just not ready yet - Harry’s just barely told his own mother.  
> But during prom night they can’t take their eyes off each other and their dates are starting to get annoyed until Harry goes over and asks Louis’ date if he can have a turn with Louis and then he kisses him because fuck it, it’s prom and he wants to slow dance with his boyfriend.

**You and Me and All of the People**

 

“So…”

 

“So…?”

 

“The prom’s coming up.”

 

Harry shrugged and shifted from the bed where just a short moment ago some dirty things had gone down, suddenly feeling sticky and disgusting and in dire need of a shower, he sits up and turned his back to the boy lying naked next to him.

 

“Harry…we need to talk about this.” Louis stared at Harry’s bare back, droplets of sweat roles down the smooth skin, tantalizingly, seductively, in a way that made Louis feels hot all over again.

 

But that’s another thought for another time.

 

His next sentence came in an almost whisper, “I want to go with you.”

 

  
Harry’s shoulders seemed to sag even lower if that’s possible, “I want to go with you too.”

 

“But we can’t.”

 

“I know.”

 

The silence that followed was filled with despair and desperation, try as they may they both cannot ignore the tugging resentment underlying it all.

 

Harry pressed the pads of his palm to his forehead, trying to massage away the sudden rush of blood that was threatening to tug on his boiling point, and stood up despite his trembling feet. He hated this, hated what they have to do to stay together.

 

A strong pair of arms quickly found their way around his waist, pulling him close to the warm chest awaiting. It was almost violent, the passion behind it, but he felt nothing but peaceful the moment skin touch skin. Louis was a bit shorter than Harry, and when he put his head to rest on top of Harry’s shoulder blades, he didn’t even have to tip-toe or bend down to fit himself perfectly into the curves. That’s how perfect they were together.

 

The arms around Harry tighten, bringing with it every possible feelings there were, they engulfed him, swallowing him whole, and he wanted to stay there. Because once the doors were opened and they stepped out of their own little world, the closet needs to be shut stiff to keep their secret safe.

 

Harry grasped Louis’ hand and turned around, the older boy quickly repositioned his arms to be wrapped around Harry’s neck as Harry’s own strong grip on his hips pulled them even closer than possible. A moment later those same large hands had found their way up to cup Louis’ delicate jaw, eyes never leaving each others’. Green on blue, they should not have worked out but they did. Louis could feel the soft stroke of Harry’s thumb on him, mapping his cheeckbones, the line of his jaw…his bottom lips...It doesn’t take long for Harry to close the gap.

 

It was just a soft one, but sickeningly sweet, sending unbearable tremors and jolts of electricity all over their bodies as they keep the kiss from deepening, lips moving in sync. Their passion is visible enough without even trying.

 

When they finally broke apart from the need to fill their bodies with air, their foreheads pressed together, heavy breathing on each others’ skin kept them from speaking, Harry looked into the eyes that had never done anything but confidently made him fall in love with the owner. Those eyes were boring into his soul now, a slight desperation in them, they were staring wide-eyed at him, begging him to be the brave one in the situation. But Harry knew he can’t do it, not yet.

 

It’s funny and cruel how high school works, with the cliques and class, the peer pressure, the blurred out silver lining of what’s right and wrong, where social acceptance is the reason why most of them survive high school. It’s not right, but it’s always there. And there they are, at the very top of the social ladder. Louis with his sharp lines, quick wit, and undeniable talent on the field as the football captain; Harry with his mop of curls, charming ways, and indisputable skills on the court as the basketball captain, they were both kings of their high school and slaves of their own demons.

 

They stayed in silence, wrapped around each others’ arms for God knows how long, lost in their own brand of paradise, when a sudden knock on the door slammed them back to the ground. A muffled voice asked tentatively from behind the barrier, “Harry dear, is Louis in there with you? I saw his car out front. I brought dinner, come down to eat when you two are ready.”

 

“Yes mom, we’ll be right down.”

 

“Thanks Anne.”

 

Harry’s mom was only one of the very few people that knew about their relationship, the younger boy had just recently came out to her having been unable to keep it down any longer. She was mystified at first but it took her no time to accept his son as he is, no questions needed.

 

Louis made a tiny groan and finally untangles himself from Harry’s broad limbs, “We need to take a shower first.”

 

“I love you.” Harry whispered as the warm body made its way out of his personal space and towards the bathroom.

 

Propping himself up on the bathroom door, Louis turn around to fix his gaze on Harry, because he will only say it when he knew Harry would understand the he was all Louis could see, “I love you.” Before beckoning the curly haired boy to join him in the shower.

 

 

————-

 

 

The days leading to prom were spent in more resentment and anxiety. Harry had asked the president of the Debate Club to go with him to the prom because he’s sick of the social expectation that mandates he had to ask one of the more ‘popular’ girls, he knew with her he would at least have decent conversations. Louis on the other hand had opted not to ask anyone, fully planning to just go solo, until one of the more popular girls practically demanded him to go with her because ‘it’s only right’.

 

They both went with the motions and preparations of what’s supposed to be the best day of their high school life like over oiled robots, moving through the hours controlled by their peers without making any sound. But each time they pass each other on the corridors, there’s nothing more that they wanted other than hold each other and tell everyone to fuck off because they’re in love and no one else mattered. They’re young, however, and some teenagers consumed by their own fears just do not have the courage to do what’s right.

 

 

\----------------

 

 

The big day finally rolled by, they picked up their dates, took the mandatory prom pictures, slid corsages unto wrists and quickly whisked the girls away without much words.

 

Louis was there first, because by bringing one of the popular girls they’re there as one of the ‘royal couple’ and people expected their presence eagerly. Harry didn’t arrive until a little bit later with his date in tow, the usually simple girl in school had been transformed into a natural beauty and looked almost good enough to stand with Harry. But as people gush about the girl, Louis couldn’t take his eyes off Harry.

 

His mom had made the fuss of buying Harry a tailor made suit instead of just renting one for him, making sure Louis was there when she picked out the materials and colors to tell her exactly what he liked on Harry, the result was nothing less than stunning. The black blazer clinged on his broad shoulders and wrapped around his body so perfectly it almost knocked Louis off his feet, the bowtie that Harry had insisted upon added a sense of charming adorableness to his beautiful features, his unruly mop of curls was somehow tamed down enough to frame his beautiful face flawlessly. Louis couldn’t hear or feel or see or say anything, because deep in his heart he couldn’t believe that such vision is really truly his to keep…albeit later, when the night is over, and the façade was long discarded.

 

For now, they need to at least try.

 

It’s harder than they could’ve imagined. Harder than just trying not to show any slip up at school hours, harder than to just refrain themselves from holding hands when they’re out in public, harder than pretending that they felt nothing else from the supposedly friendly interactions they shared when they were in the vicinity of their friends. It’s harder, because it’s prom, and it means something, a lot more, when you showed up holding hands with someone, when you dance with someone, when you share a laugh, when you just cling to each other to whisper sweet nothings to their ears. It means a lot more because it’s prom.

 

 

\------

 

 

Sometime in the middle of it all, Harry found himself slow dancing with his date. She was smart and easy to talk to and looked pretty in her simple burgundy dress, and he could feel the regret in some of the other guys’ eyes when they look at her because they had failed to see how amazing she really was. But her body was not right in his arms, the curves were all wrong and wonky, her laughs to his lame jokes were glaring with politeness, the interesting insights to everyday news that she offered him were clever but does not necessarily sit well with his own, the sparkle in her blue eyes were different, and Harry found his own eyes, mind, and heart wander around the crowded room, looking for the only shade of blue eyes that could make everything right again.

 

He spotted him almost immediately, his whole being had always gravitated towards the older boy without reason. Louis’ date wrapped herself around him in an attempt to grind their bodies together, his hands gripped her waist tightly, desperately holding her from pressing her whole body to him. He was looking at Harry, his eyes troubled and desperate, but there was nothing they can do and they hated themselves for it.

 

It was much later in the evening that they finally found themselves relatively alone together at a corner of the gigantic room, the music had slowed down even more, leaving only couples on the dance floor, exactly the reason why Louis was hiding behind the shades of the ice sculptures.

 

Harry had found him with ease, they really never even had to try, they had always been bound to find each other.

 

Earlier on, the prom court had been announced; Louis had won the votes as prom king, only having a smidgen more votes over Harry. The prom queen was a mutual friend of theirs, a pleasant girl who everyone loves and a good break for Louis from his prom date as he made jokes and twirled the prom queen on the dance floor for their mandatory dance in midst of friendly laughter.

 

When Harry found him though, Louis looked exhausted and Harry had to laugh. It looked like he had a better time than the older boy, at least his date knew boundaries and had come to the conclusion that Harry was not really interested in her that way early on when Harry just couldn’t stop staring at Louis. He was pretty sure she thought he was staring at Louis’ date though but that’s not important and Harry felt no need to correct her. Now she’s off to dance with the throng of guys wanting to sweep her off her feet for the night and Harry was only too delighted to let her be, sincerely hoping she would have the greatest night of her high school life.

 

“Hey,” Harry whispered softly trying not to position himself too close to the scent that invites him in, “I missed you.”

 

The older boy reached out discreetly to him in a despair attempt to feel the warm flesh on his skin.

 

“I hate this Harry…I want to be with you tonight.” Louis chocked, silently rejoicing on the fact that Harry’s taller frame hid him effortlessly into the shadows, he’s safe there.

 

Just before harry was about to move in and say something, a shrill girly voice interrupted their peaceful moment, “Harry have you seen Louis? I couldn’t find him anywhere.”

 

It was Louis’ date and Harry had to remind himself that he is a gentleman and slapping a girl over a simple question is unacceptable. Her arrival meant that Harry had to move though, and as soon as he does her eyes darted to the breathtakingly gorgeous boy behind him, “Louis! There you are. Come on! We need to go out there.” Irritation exuding on every pitch that came out of her mouth. She noticed that Louis hadn’t been paying her the attention she wanted all night, she had thought that going to the prom with him could make her the center of attention but it had fell far from her expectation. Louis had been distracted and didn’t even so much as lay an eye on her a millisecond longer than necessary, his gaze always stray to the girl that Harry came with, she didn’t even know who the girl was, which means that she was irrelevant to the social pyramid so she won’t even bother finding out. But now her friends had subtly mocked her for being unable to hold Louis’ interest and she had to change that.

 

But Harry was on the way of her grabbing Louis’ hand, her attempt to get around the tall boy failed miserably.

 

“Dammit Harry, move!” but the boy didn’t budge even a bit, pushing her hands away non too gently instead, “Why don’t you run back to your skank and give me back my date?!”

 

“Oh sod off! Go find someone else to help you claw your way to the top.” Louis finally found his voice and spat his words out in a low voice, throwing a knowing glare her way.

 

The girl jerked a bit, hurt seemingly snaked its way into her eyes, but she shook it away and scoffed, swearing under her breath about how Louis’ not worth it and she hoped Harry would give him a good beating for staring at his date all night before stalking away.

 

After she disappeared into the crowd Harry turn and quickly pulled Louis by his hand, dragging him towards the more secluded side entrance not far from where they were standing. The glaring fact that this was the first time they held hands in public was not lost on Louis, and Harry was tugging him in a way that was so obviously gentle and solid. Louis thought that it felt nice, it felt nice to be able to hold Harry’s hand in public, almost forgetting the reason why they haven’t just fuck all and tell the whole world about them.

 

Harry dragged him out of the ballroom in one swift motion and in such a way that aside from a few students that were visibly drunk and high loitering the back of the room, no one else seemed to notice their little commotion. Fingers slowly intertwining with his once they were in an empty corridor and no one was left to judge them, Louis almost speak up, he almost ask Harry to come back into the party with him, to declare that they were in love in front of their whole class, their peers.

 

But he knew that both of them were not ready yet. So he settled with tightening his grip on the younger boy, hoping that Harry could feel every unspoken words battling in him.

 

Soon after, they found themselves in an empty dark room, lighted only by the moonlight and streetlights streaming through the big glass windows lining one side of the walls. The slow music from the ballroom flowed in effortlessly as no other sound could be heard.

 

Harry led the pace, as he wrapped his arms around Louis’ waist, pulling him closer. Now this is right, he caught himself thinking, the curves are right, the movement smooth, the sparkle in those blue eyes overwhelming him and he couldn’t breathe when his heart skipped the mandatory beat everytime he so much as feel Louis’ presence.

 

Louis instinctively placed his arms around Harry’s neck, pulling them even closer, resting his head on the crook, breathing deeply, hungrily, on the scent that he never stopped seeking.

 

The outside world seemedso far away now because at that moment they only needed each other to hold, and both couldn’t think of a time where they had properly lived before they found each other. They were young, and the future was uncertain, but they were together and that’s all that mattered.

 

“I love you Harry Styles.”

 

“I love you Louis Tomlinson.”

 

A familiar song flowed through the walls, a song that meant a lot for them. Louis hummed along with the words, sending vibrations all throughout Harry’s body as Harry propped Louis’ chin up with his long fingers, tracing butterfly kisses all over the face that never failed to take his breath away, before finally capturing the part that he was sure could be the death of him one day.

 

They finally got their dance.

 

 

_cause it’s you and me and all of the people_

_with nothing to do_

_nothing to lose_

_and it’s you and me and all of the people_

_and I don’t know why_

_I can’t keep my eyes off of you_

_—-_

**Author's Note:**

> Song: You and Me - Lifehouse


End file.
